Coming from a VFP and VPME background, I am wondering what is the best practice for applications that use SQL Databases.  In VFP applications I normally use Views for Forms and Reports and separate them into two or more databases.  Also, I would try to use Views instead of Filters most of the time.  Is the way I would do it in VFP still the best way for SQL database applications?

- Is it best to separate tables and views into separate databases?  I noticed the Strataflix and Strataframe samples both show views and tables together in the same DB but this may be just for simplification

- Should Maintenance Forms be based on views or tables?

- Should Reports use views or tables?

- When is it best to use a View as opposed to a table or a table with a filter?

- Also, I plan to develop applications using SF that I want to be able to sell just parts of as well as the entire application as a whole.  For example, I'm working on a Safety Review application that could be sold as a complete package or someone might just want to purchase the OSHA package, ADA package, Driver/Employee File package, Vehicle Inspections package, etc.  I might also have a Lite/Express version too for example.

- I'd be interested how others are doing it and what make the most sense in terms of flexibility, especially since I have the opportunity to start from "scratch" so to speak.

Thanks!

Russ Brown (Using C#2010/SQL Server 2008)

Hey Russel.

I think that a good time to use a view is when you need to use the BrowseDialog to search on different tables at the same time. So, if you have a form with a Parent BO and 1 or more Children BOs related, you could create a view to join all these tables and format the BrowseDialog to search on that view, so the user would get all the columns needed from the different tables. Once the BrowseDialog is Closed, you can deal with the view copying the data from the populated BO to another without duplicates on the Parent PK, get an array of the PKs populated and Fill your form Parent BO with the array of PKs you've just created.

I have found this a great way to extend the use of the BrowseDialogs.

Que tal,

Sería factible que pusieras un ejemplo de tu proceso, la parte del View la puedo manejar pero el proceso de filtrar duplicados y demás no se me ocurre como hacerlo.

Gracias,

Everything is possible, just keep trying...

Hola Juan.

Si, prepararé un ejemplo para usted y pondré aquí.

Aha, Ivan tu eres como una cajita de sorpresa, no sabia que hablabas y escribes en Español.

Edhy Rijo

Hey Edhy.

I can read it, but not really write it. I asked for help over here...

Hi Juan.

I read the code I posted to you and noticed I didn't code some important features in it, so I corrected a bit:

Here you are.

• Get your view ready with the Parent and all its children, remember to have the parent PK as a column in it.
• Create a new BO in your application and use the Business Object Mapper to map it. Remember that if you are used to mapping selecting the DDT as a source, with a view you will need to go straight to the SQL Server, so deploy it first, and then map it.
• Rebuild your project and drop 2 instances of the view BO on your form.
• Drop a BrowseDialog and configure it to this BO type, use one of the instances of the BO as the BusinessObjectToPopulate.
• Configure your BrowseDialog as usual. SearchFields, BrowseResultsLayout and so on.
• Go to your BrowseDialog Events and create one for BrowseDialogClosed.

In it, put some code like the following:

That should be it.